Category Archives: Uncategorized

Hexane, a byproduct of refined oil into gasoline, is used for oil extraction in the comercial production of cooking oils

Food purists often fuss about the inadequacies of USDA’s organic food standards, how pitifully watered down they are from the lofty principles that built the organic movement. They have a point. After all, the USDA’s National Organic Program was created to deal with the big agribusinesses determined to exploit the lucrative organic market. But for all the complaints about federal organic standards, the non-certified alternatives — with some foods especially — can be downright scary.

After hundreds of starlings were found dead in the Yankton Riverside Park, concerned citizens began to investigate. Before long, a USDA official called the local police and admitted they had poisoned the birds. “They say that they had poisoned the birds about ten miles south of Yankton and they were surprised they came to Yankton like they did and died in our park,” says Yankton Animal Control Officer Lisa Brasel, as reported by KTIV (http://www.ktiv.com/Global/story.as…).

(NaturalNews) The types of fat found in avocados and in olive oil boost levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol without raising levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Toronto and St. Michael’s Hospital in Ontario, Canada, and published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

In fact, a special vegetarian diet with a dose of those special fats also reduced LDL levels as effectively as statin drugs.

Do you put dimethylpolysiloxane, an anti-foaming agent made of silicone, in your chicken dishes? How about tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), a chemical preservative so deadly just five grams can kill you?

These are just two of the ingredients in a McDonald’s Chicken McNugget. Only 50 percent of a McNugget is actually chicken. The other half includes corn derivatives, sugars, leavening agents and completely synthetic ingredients.

South Korea’s decision to bury 1.4 million pigs alive in an effort to curb the spread of the highly contagious foot and mouth disease (FMD) has sparked the ire of international animal activists.

According to reports, the first case of FMD — which affects all cloven hoofed animals including pigs, goats and cattle — was confirmed in November in Andong city of North Gyeongsang province, and has since spread quickly. Officials began embarking on a mass cull of roughly 12 percent of its swine population to combat the disease, primarily because it affects the nation’s ability to export meat, Food Safety News is reporting.

High in fiber, it is no secret that prunes can clear intestinal blockage and make for a healthier colon; however, there are many other health benefits for which the dried plum has not received its due credit.

For starters, prunes are at the top of the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) chart, leaving raisins a distant second place and making prunes the preeminent source of antioxidants available from any plant source. Antioxidants are your first line of defense against cellular break down and staying healthy at the cellular level.

Prunes can also assist in cosmetic matters, as antioxidants called phenols are present in prunes. Phenols are reported to help block oxygen based free radicals from damaging the body`s fats. This is important because your skin cell and brain cell membranes are composed of fat, staving off the aging process in both mind and body.

Its stores of vitamin A and potassium soar among the best foods! Potassium is essential for maintaining normal blood pressure and assists in healthy muscle and heart function, while beta-carotene defends against free radicals from oxidizing our cells, preventing undue damage to cellular DNA, which can lead to cancer and a host of other diseases, including inflammatory conditions like asthma, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Tale of Two Fibers

Soluble Fiber

Absorbs water and adds bulk, slowing rate at which food leaves stomach—keeps you full longer, less apt to snack

Bonds to bile, requiring more cholesterol use for the production of bile in the liver to break down fats, reducing the amount of cholesterol circulating in your body

Friendly intestinal bacteria metabolize this fiber, releasing short chain fatty acids that help absorb minerals and keep the large intestine and colon walls strong and supple

Propionic and Aetic acid are also created in this process, used as fuel by cells of the liver and muscles

Fat free and low in calories, prunes are also simply a healthy source of fuel for your body, storing 26 grams of carbohydrates per quarter cup serving. Their size and easy storability also make an ideal snack on the go, so you can stop eating those high glycemic, processed sweets in between meals.

Sweet and delicious, it is clear that prunes should be a staple in your snacking habits. The dried plum is another superfood providing many deterrents and nutrients alike in equipping your body to stay younger, longer.